Cigarette case



J. L. LEBACH Dec. 20, 1949 CIGARETTE CASE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 9,1948 FIG.

INVENTOR JOHN L. LE BACH.

Dec. 20, 1949 LEBACH 2,491,617

CIGARETTE CASE Filed Oct. 9, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOH NL.LEBACH.

i atented bee. 20, 1949 "STATES PATENT OFFICE 2.491,6i'-1 CIGARETTE CASEJohn L. Lcbach, Forest Hills. N. Y. "Application October 9, 19 18;Serial No. 53,657

li 'iirni illustrated in some detail, the r other cylindrical objectsare adapted .Bf iii" r't'ed in a swinging frame hinged so as to at:ginto' and out 'o'f'th'e open side of a casing.

The teen is shown as including a peripheral guide in which runs a bandwhich normally overfl 'Stheupper endso f cigarettes. In the form isbv'vhtheb'ah'dis endless and is provided with tw wlde'lyoifs'etopenings; so that the band may eerm'anyyhemanthe cigarettes within thecase biitis adapted to he slipped along to bring one iii-"the Bther'oithe openings over the end of a cigarette with the result that a springbelow the cigarette projects itthrough the opening to a piiln'twli'e'reitmay be conveniently grasped.

Th'eii'th "s'in gleeigarette may be withdrawn, and the other cigarettesremain held in place until the band is shifted and one of the openifigsreieesese; second cigarette.

lathe 'icrmshown, the cigarettes are set in offset rews with the resultthat one opening in tinreach of the beltmay release successively thecigarettes bf bilerdW'Whil the other opening may. at other timessuccessively release the "cigarettes-er. the other row.

1h theterln shown the band may be of metal and include ribs orcorrugations which tend to held it flatyaiidwhich may tend to springinto intense-s0 that "the bend tends to center the openingin alignmentwith any'de'sired contained cigarette.

full pack of cigarettes may be loaded, unioaiiing requires no openingorcase, which may be time with one hand holding the case. A slightthumbpressure works the release mechanlsrn.

' It will be foundthat' this structure provides an easily assembled,strong, light, chea and compact cigarette; orother case, capable ofbeing made of numerous noble or other metals, and with built-inornamented forms if desired.

Qther features and advantages will hereinafter le In the accompanyingdrawings:

igQ l ise side raceview r one form of the entree showing a cigaretteprojected for its: tsetnhview er the cesetr Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view withtheb'ahd them other position so that acigarette is projected through the other opening in the-band.

Fig. 4 is a sectional end view.

Fig. 5 is a sectional top view.

Fig. 6 is a perspective showing the cigarettes in the swingingframe're'ady to be closed.

Fig; 7 is enlarged fragmentary sides'esctioii of a corner showing thecentering notches.

In the form shown cylindrical objectssuch as cigarettes It} are insertedin the swinging rec tangular frame ll sothat they fit between theguiding fingers 2 61 -short partitions [3-, shown as corrugated metalribbons" attached at their ends l 'l, i5 t0 the flatmetal outside plate[6 of the swinging frame I l.

The metal ribbon l'lendi'n'g at I5 is shown as attached directly totheend plate It or the frame H, which in turn is attached to the outsideplate It, and the end plate 18 springs from the Whole iower end (seeFig. 6) oi the outside plate 16 and bends around parallel to the plate16, and is corrugated at I!) to fit the outer curves of the outer row 26of cigarettes.

It will be noted that the two rows "of cigarettes lb, 29 (see Figs. 2,5-; 6) are Staggered, with the result that the row ll] of cigarettesfits in the corrugation hollows on one side, and the other row 2% Ofcigarettes fits in the hollows Oh the opposite side of the ribbon IT.

In the form shown the swinging fralhe H turns on a long pintle 2|passing through ears 22 "on the nearly rectangular casing frame 23,partly turned up along the lower outer edge at 4'4, said 'pintle alsopassing through'bot'tom ears 45 turned lip from. the bottom of the plateIt. Thus the plate it and ribbon ll and corrugated plate It turn and fitwithinthe casing frame 23 so that the two rows of cigarettes f0 and 20tend to move up to a broad movabl-eband 26, since they are urged upwardbyindividual light springs '25 that rest on the floor 2'6 formed by thefiat bottom of the plate i8, where it bends horizontally to join theplate l6.

The frame 23 is able to guide the band 24 in a continuous groove 27because the band also travels in an opposing continuous groove 28 in theopposite casingframe 29-. The frame 29 preferablyincludes a thin plate'3!) which closes the outside and serves to add to the stifiness of thestructure and includes a boss 31 around its edge in which lies thegroove 28.

"T he frame 23 is shown as held to 'th'e frame 29, at by a shoulderedandheeded rivet 32 attach corner, thus making e, strong, cheaply builtstructure.

In order to release the cigarettes one at a time, the band 24 is shownas provided with an opening 33 adapted to overlie any one of thecigarettes in one row. When the band 24 is pushed by the thumb, itreleases the cigarette which it overlies and permits the spring 25 ofthat cigarette to thrust up a fraction of an inch as shown in Fig. 1, sothat the cigarette may be readily withdrawn.

To insure that the opening 33 will be properly centered, the band 24 isshown as ribbed at 34 at spaced intervals equal to the distance betweencigarette centers, and the ribs 34 are adapted to spring into shallownotches 35 at one corner 36 of the frames 23, 29 thus tending to centerthe opening 33 over the desired cigarette.

To release a cigarette in the other row 20, the

band 24, at a point in the opposite reach of the band, is provided witha second cigarette release opening 31, so spaced relative to the ribs 34that it tends to center over the desired cigarette of row when a rib 34seats itself in a notch 35.

Thus, the openings 33, 3'! may be so placed in the band that when one isin a vertical reach of the device, the other opening is in the othervertical reach and all cigarettes are safely held.

The metal band may be made continuous by soldering or Welding its endstogether and springs 25 may be each held in place by a drop of solder onthe metal floor plate 26.

, The cigarettes when inserted in the swinging frame I l are held bylight finger pressure, on their sides, if desired, against the urging oftheir springs 25.

In the form shown, the ribs 34 are V-shaped indentations with bottomopenings 38 so narrow that one side or the other always overlies acigarette beneath the band 24, and the corners of the casing frames 23,28 are always on such a curve that band 24 may easily travel in thegroove 21, and the groove is wide enough to accommodate the ribs 34, asthe belt travels around within the casing periphery.

The total peripheral length of this band or belt is an aliquot multipleof distance between cigarette centers.

Having thus described one embodiment of the invention in some detail,What is claimed is:

1. In a holder for cylindrical objects, the combination with a swingingframe of fingers in the frame adapted to hold objects spaced therein, aspring for each object tending to thrust it forward in the fingers, acasing in which the frame turns to swing within the casing, a continuousbelt adapted to overlie the objects swung within the casing and adaptedto move peripherally and when so moved to bring an opening in it over aselected object so that the object is released and is lifted by itsspring.

2. In a holder for cylindrical objects, the combination with a swingingframe of fingers in the frame adapted to hold objects spaced therein, aspring for each object tending to thrust it for ward in the fingers, acasing in which the frame turns to swing within the casing, a continuousbelt adapted to overlie the objects swung within the casing and adaptedto move peripherally and when so moved to bring either of a pair ofoffset openings in it over a selected object so that the selected objectis released and is lifted by its spring.

3. In a holder for cylindrical objects, the combination with a swingingframe of fingers in the frame adapted to hold objects spaced therein, aspring for each object tending to thrust it forward in the fingers, anearly rectangular casing on which the frame turns to swing within thecasing, a nearly peripheral band forming part of the casing and havingoffset openings, a. guide forming part of the casing on which the bandslides so that one stretch overlies the objects when swung into thecasing and adapted to bring the openings selectively to one or anotherof the objects.

4. In a holder for cylindrical objects, the combination with a swingingframe of fingers in the frame adapted to hold objects spaced therein, aspring for each object tending to thrust it forward in the fingers, anearly rectangular casing on which the frame turns to swing within thecasing and a nearly peripheral band forming part of the casing andhaving an opening adapted to be shifted by movement of the band to alignwith one or another of the objects when the objects have been swung intothe casing. I

5. In a holder for cylindrical objects, the combination with a swingingframe of fingers in the frame adapted to hold objects spaced therein, aspring for each object tending to thrust it forward in the fingers, anearly rectangular casing on which the frame turns to swing within thecasing, two facing frames forming part of the casing and includingcontinuous facing slots, and a band including an object-passing openingslidable in the slots to bring the opening selectively over any of theobjects.

6. In a holder for cylindrical objects, the combination with a swingingframe of fingers in the frame adapted to hold objects spaced therein, aspring for each object tending to thrust it forward in the fingers, anearly rectangular casing on which the frame turns to swing within thecasing, two facing frames forming part of the casing and includingcontinuous facing slots and a band comprising ribs including anobjectpassing opening slidable in the slots to bring the openingselectively overany of the objects by centering it at notches openingoff the slot.

7. In a holder for cylindrical objects, the combination with a swingingframe, of holding means in the frame for holding objects staggered inmore than one line, a spring for each object urging it lengthwise out ofits holding means, a casing on which the swinging frame turns to swingwithin the casing, a nearly peripheral band adapted to move around thecasing and including an opening adapted to pass an object while the bandholds other objects against their springs, and casing frames havingslots within which the band travels to guide it.

8. In a holder for cylindrical objects, the combination with a pair ofnearly rectangular frames forming a casing and having facing grooves, aswinging frame hinged to one of the rectangular frames and adapted to beswung within the casing, holding devices for the objects, a spring foreach object urging it lengthwise, and a band running in said grooveshaving an opening adapted to permit one object to rise while holdingothers.

9. In a holder for cylindrical objects, the combination with a pair ofnearly rectangular frames forming a casing and having facing groovesfaswinging frame hinged to one of the rectangular frames and adapted to beswung within the casing, holding devices for the objects, a spring foreach object urging it lengthwise, and a band runing, holding devices forthe objects, a spring for each object urging it lengthwise and a bandrunning in said grooves having ofiset openings to selectively permit oneobject to rise while holding 5 others.

JOHN L. LEBACH.

No references cited.

